Can I use an Antkit nest for Solenopsis fugax? I‘m scared they‘ll squeeze through the airholes. I want to give my colony a new nest after hibernation because they’re growing pretty quickly. The sawtooth adapter will be glued to the nest with reusable glue aka. I can remove it without disturbing the ants.

I have put them away in a cupboard, but it is pretty chilly! Definitely not freezing (its in the house) but it is cold.Can it be too cold, assuming it never freezes?

milant wrote:Rubra hibernate around 10 degrees C and lasius around 5 degrees C. Put them in boxes filled with newspaper. Colonies that size the water will likely last the entire hibernation but just check on them at back end of December to make sure they’re ok

So I can’t find an answer for this anywhere. When bringing UK species of ants out of hibernation do I need to gradually increase the temperature or can I just take them out? They are currently at 8° C, can I just bring them into the house where they will be at 20° C, Or should the temperature be raised slowly over the next week?

I have just received a Lasius niger queen with eggs. I have protein shakes on hand, but I understand that boiled insects are the traditional protein source. Bugs are easy to catch right now with the warm weather, which has me wondering: could I freeze some to use as a protein source later in the year?

Sort of. After a while they will dry out and become uninteresting for the ants. You can also give them wet cat food as a part of their diet. Also when it's getting cold outside the ants should hibernate anyway which completely omits the problem of having to feed them until it's getting warmer again.